$6,000 Later… NO GO to the 2026 Florida RV SuperShow

I wanted to attend the 2026 Florida RV SuperShow in Tampa, but vanlife had other plans. After six months and nearly $6,000 in repairs, my camper van isn’t reliable enough for the 400+ mile round trip or a week of off-grid living at the show. The good news is the issues with the Ram ProMaster cargo van chassis are resolved. The tough part is the conversion systems are now the problem. My 2019 Winnebago Travato 59GL has problems with the Volta Pure3 lithium energy system and the Truma Combi propane system. Without these systems working reliably, I can’t stay at the SuperShow for a week, especially while boondocking or relying on onboard power and heat. I’ve asked Sunshine State RVs to help resolve the issues. While the van is in their service department, I’m replacing several still-working but heavily aged components, including the Nova Kool fridge/freezer, the Thetford wet-flush toilet, the Ceiling MaxxAir fan, and the waste release gate valves. This is about preventing failures before they leave me stranded somewhere inconvenient. Vanlife isn’t just sunsets and scenic campsites. It’s tough decisions, missed events, and choosing long-term reliability over short-term fun. I’ll keep you updated on the repairs and be back on the road as soon as it’s safe. Thanks for following along with Scott Watson of Go Small. Live Large!